How Do You Plant Cherry Tomatoes?

Growing Cherry Tomatoes: A Step-by-Step Guide

Cherry tomatoes are a gateway vegetable. They're tiny, endlessly sweet, and impossibly satisfying to pluck straight from the vine. But growing them right takes a touch of intention and a pinch of patience.

Choosing the Right Variety

First, decide how you want to grow them: bushy, compact determinate varieties or sprawling, vining indeterminate types. The former is great for containers, while the latter can climb to dizzying heights with proper support.

I’ve grown both, and while I adore the all-at-once harvest of determinates like ‘Tiny Tim,’ the slow, generous trickle of indeterminates such as ‘Sun Gold’ feels like nature’s drip-feed of happiness.

Start Them Right: Seeds or Plants?

If you're eager to experiment, start from seed. They sprout quickly and give you bragging rights. But if you’re running late or lack patience, nursery starts are a solid option.

When starting seeds, plant them indoors about 6-8 weeks before your area’s last frost date. Trust me, you’ll get antsy before they do, but resist the urge to rush them outside.

Pro Tip:

Use a grow light. Windowsills will stretch your seedlings, leaving you with floppy, leggy plants that beg forgiveness.

Preparing the Soil

Cherry tomatoes demand fertile, well-draining soil. Think loamy, loose, and packed with organic matter. Work compost deep into the ground before planting. If you're using containers, choose a potting mix rich in nutrients but light on filler.

I’ve tried skimping here before, cutting corners with old, tired soil. Don’t. These plants repay good soil with vines positively dripping in fruit.

Planting Outdoors

Wait until the soil’s warmed to at least 60°F. These heat-lovers will sulk in cold dirt. Space plants about 2 feet apart; overcrowding invites disease faster than a free buffet attracts pigeons.

Bury seedlings deeper than they sat in their pots, right up to their first set of leaves. This encourages root development, giving them a solid foundation for wild summertime growth.

Supporting the Climbers

Most cherry tomato varieties will climb and sprawl like they're auditioning for a jungle scene. Give them a sturdy trellis, cage, or stakes early. Indecision here leads to tangled messes you’ll regret come harvest time.

Once, I skipped this step, thinking I could “figure it out later.” Reader, I did not. Wrestling wild vines mid-July is an exercise in humility.

Watering the Right Way

Cherry tomatoes might be drama queens about their water needs. Too little and they sulk. Too much and they crack open like overripe balloons.

Aim for deep, consistent watering—about 1-2 inches per week. Mulching around the base is a lifesaver, locking in moisture and keeping soil temperatures even.

Feeding Your Plants

These vigorous growers are hungry, so feed them accordingly. A balanced fertilizer works early on, but once blossoms appear, switch to something phosphorus-heavy to encourage fruit production.

Avoid nitrogen overload, though. It grows lush, leafy vines but leaves you waiting for fruit that never seems to come.

Avoid This Common Mistake:

Don’t fertilize late in the season. Once fruit sets, overfeeding can make the plant putter out instead of focusing on ripening.

Pruning for Health

Pruning isn’t just for roses. Remove the lower leaves to improve air circulation, especially as the plant grows taller. Snipping out those tiny “suckers” (the shoots in leaf crotches) can help focus energy on fruit production.

I prune ruthlessly after rainstorms to prevent fungal issues. Trust me, watching blight crawl up a previously healthy vine is a heartbreak you don’t soon forget.

Harvesting: The Fun Part

Cherry tomatoes ripen fast. Pick them when they’re fully colored and slightly soft to the touch. Waiting too long risks overripe fruit splitting on the vine.

And here’s the thing: Once they start, they don’t stop. Every evening walk through the garden turns into a snack run. There’s something deeply satisfying about eating with your hands directly from a living plant.

A Quick Note on Pests

Tomato hornworms are the nemesis of every gardener. Left unchecked, they can decimate a plant overnight. Look for their telltale poop (dark green pellets) and handpick these monsters off your vines.

Spider mites and aphids can also join the party. A strong jet of water or a soapy spray keeps them in check.

Growing Cherry Tomatoes in Containers

Don’t have space? No problem. Cherry tomatoes thrive in pots, too, as long as the container is at least 5 gallons. Use high-quality potting soil and ensure excellent drainage.

Container plants need more frequent watering, especially during hot weather. A self-watering pot can save you from daily drenching marathons in July.

Closing Thought

Growing cherry tomatoes is about more than just fruit. It’s a season-long relationship with a plant that rewards you for the care you give it—and sometimes punishes you when you slack off.

But when you bite into that first sun-warmed fruit, sweet enough to make you believe in miracles, you’ll understand why it’s all worth it.

The seeds will usually germinate in just a few days. (6 to 8 days) It takes five to ten days for cherry tomato seeds to germinate. The first shoots emerge from the seed and grow upward. Once the seeds germinate, plant the seedlings outdoors when they are about 6 inches tall with 2 to 3 sets of true leaves. cherry tomatoes grow well in bright and warm spots. make sure that the location get 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight during the day. in early spring, make sure that the danger of frost has passed as tender seedlings die if they get too cold. transplant the seedlings outdoors when they are about 12 weeks old or 6 weeks after the last frost date.